Managing adhesive curing for photonic system assembly

Abstract

An apparatus for assembling a photonic system comprising a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) includes: a support structure configured to support the PIC; and a rigid structure surrounding a hollow passage that extends to an opening at a distal end of the rigid structure. The rigid structure includes an optically transmissive portion configured to transmit at least about 50% of a received beam of ultraviolet light, and configured such that at least a portion of the ultraviolet light transmitted through the rigid structure is incident upon an edge surface of the PIC at an angle of incidence that is less than about 60 degrees.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for assembling a photonic system comprising a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), the apparatus comprising:
 a support structure configured to support the PIC; and 
 a rigid structure surrounding a hollow passage that extends to an opening at a distal end of the rigid structure, the rigid structure
 including an optically transmissive portion configured to transmit at least about 50% of a received beam of ultraviolet light, and 
 configured such that at least a portion of the ultraviolet light transmitted through the rigid structure is incident upon an edge surface of the PIC at an angle of incidence that is less than about 60 degrees. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid structure is configured to reflect at least a portion of the ultraviolet light from a surface of the optically transmissive portion to guide the portion of the ultraviolet within the optically transmissive portion of the rigid structure and out of the distal end of the rigid structure. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the rigid structure is configured to guide at least a portion of a first received beam of the ultraviolet light from a proximal end of the rigid structure to the distal end of the rigid structure, where the guiding includes reflecting at least a portion of the ultraviolet light by total internal reflection from the surface of the optically transmissive portion. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the optically transmissive portion includes a lateral surface between the proximal end and the distal end of the rigid structure configured to transmit at least a portion of a second received beam of the ultraviolet light into the rigid structure. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optically transmissive portion of the rigid structure includes a portion that has a uniform width along a cross section perpendicular to the hollow passage. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the rigid structure is configured to receive a first beam of the ultraviolet light into the rigid structure at a proximal end and guide the first beam of the ultraviolet light to the distal end of the rigid structure, and is configured to receive a second beam of the ultraviolet light through a lateral surface and emit at least a portion of the second beam from the distal end. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening at the distal end of the rigid structure is configured to contact a photonic component to be aligned to the PIC, and wherein the rigid structure is configured to direct the ultraviolet light from the distal end of the rigid structure to an adhesive between an edge surface of the photonic component and the edge surface of the PIC. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a reflective structure contacting the photonic component at a first surface and configured to reflect at least a portion of the ultraviolet light to the edge surface of the PIC at an angle of incidence that is less than about 60 degrees, 
 wherein the rigid structure contacts the photonic component at a second surface that is opposite of the first surface. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the reflective structure comprises a reflective material. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the reflective structure comprises a grating that includes a plurality of grating teeth. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid structure is configured to receive at least a portion of the ultraviolet light into the rigid structure at an angle at which at least a portion of the ultraviolet light propagates through at least one surface between the optically transmissive portion of the rigid structure and the hollow passage and out of the distal end of the rigid structure. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid structure includes a wedge portion, the wedge portion including a surface that is configured to refract at least a portion of the ultraviolet light at an angle of incidence of around 60 degrees or less. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the rigid structure includes a portion that is configured to converge at least a portion of the received beam of ultraviolet light so that the ultraviolet light that propagates out of the distal end is converging or diverging. 
     
     
       14. A method for assembling a photonic system comprising a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) comprising a first waveguide and a photonic component comprising a second waveguide, the method comprising:
 supporting the PIC on a support structure such that an edge surface of the PIC in proximity to an end of the first waveguide is accessible; 
 providing an optical wave into the first waveguide or the second waveguide; 
 monitoring a portion of the optical wave coupled into the first waveguide from the second waveguide or into the second waveguide from the first waveguide while aligning an edge surface of the photonic component to be flush with the edge surface of the PIC using a pick-up tool configured to move the photonic component; and 
 providing at least a portion of at least one received beam of ultraviolet light to cure an adhesive between the edge surface of the photonic component and the edge surface of the PIC, wherein
 at least about 50% of the received beam of ultraviolet light is transmitted through an optically transmissive portion of the pick-up tool, and 
 at least a portion of the ultraviolet light transmitted through the pick-up tool is incident upon an edge surface of the PIC at an angle of incidence that is less than about 60 degrees. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the received beam of ultraviolet light is transmitted through a portion of the pick-up tool configured as a light pipe, and wherein the received beam of ultraviolet light exits the light pipe to cure the adhesive. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 changing a position of an ultraviolet light source providing the beam of ultraviolet light with respect to the edge surface of the PIC during the monitoring. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the received beam of ultraviolet light is transmitted through a lateral surface of the pick-up tool.